Iran Announces Plan to Produce Ballistic Missiles Capable of Reaching the United States

Iran has announced a plan to produce ballistic missiles with a range of up to 15,000 kilometres, capable of reaching the territory of the United States. The plan is said to require a complex technological leap, which will likely utilise technology from North Korea.

According to a Defence Express publication cited by UNN on Wednesday (12/8/2026), the ballistic missile production plan was revealed by Abd al-Nabi Musavi Fard, a representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader, in a statement during last Friday’s sermon. Currently, the Khorramshahr is Iran’s longest-range missile, capable of reaching 4,000 kilometres.

Defence Express reported that the transition from medium-range missiles to intercontinental systems would be a difficult technological leap. To be able to strike directly at Washington and New York from Iran, a missile with a minimum range of 10,000 kilometres is required.

Just as the Khorramshahr was developed by Iran based on the North Korean Hwasong-10 missile, which is known to originate from Soviet-era R-27 ballistic missile technology, North Korea itself possesses several intercontinental missiles claimed to have a range of 15,000 kilometres or more.